Nadine

29. The Real Issue

"Nadine. You're alright. Wake up. Give me that veil."

I open my eyes and Dipak's holding me. We're on the ground. He's rubbing my arms.

"What happened?" I sit up. "Why is everything broken?"

He helps me stand up. "She's alright." I about fall again.

"What is going on?" I start to cry.

Tre sits down in a chair. "You're ok princess."

I try to go to Tre and I fall to my knees.

Dipak picks me up. "She's to weak, Miculai. Get some blood and food in here."

"I'm ok. I just feel disoriented. Let me try to walk please."

He puts me back on my feet. I stumble to the nearest chair. "What happened to the table?"

Dad sits down. "Oh Someone had a temper tantrum."

"More redecorating. Was it Dipaks sword again?"

They all start laughing.

"We are going to have to make some changes, my princess."

Servants come in with a little table and some food and blood. They put it in front of me.

"What changes daddy?" I shove food in. I am starving again.

"I don't know all of them yet. The advisors and I will have to discuss that. But you are now required to eat 3 meals a day with someone who is sitting at this table."

"There's no table daddy."

Dipak smiles. "She's got you there sir."

"Ok princess. You are required to eat all 3 meals a day with Dipak, Tre, myself, Gunner, or Frode. We will come up with some kind of schedule we can all live with. 3 meals per day. Everyday princess."

"Why?"

"You know why. Your mother can see your ribs and she is upset about it."

"Please don't take my rock away." The tears come up in my eyes again.

Dipak fixes my veil. "No ones taking your rock princess. What's the last thing you remember?"

I think for a minute. "You said the food and rock weren't the real issue." I eat some more. "What's the real issue?"

"You're afraid of us all hurting you." I don't say anything. I keep eating. Dipak kneels in front of me. "You're afraid we'll do to you what Clay did."

"I'm done eating. Can I go?"

Dipak shakes his head. "Not yet. There is still food on that plate. When you're done eating, we are going to talk about the attack."

I glance around. "I'm really surprised the door survived. Usually that's the first thing broken in a room."

My dad laughs. "No. Surprisingly, it's always my desk."

I swallow the last couple bites of food. "Ok I'm done."

Dipak is still on his knees in front of me. "Princess I'm sorry. I was the reason you got attacked that day. Clay made a big presentation about his dragon and I talked you through turning into 1. I shouldn't have done that. I should have waited. I should have known better. It's my fault." He has tears on his face. "I'm so sorry."

I wipe the tears off. "It's not your fault Dipak. There is no way you could have known. It was just a happy occasion. You were teaching me something new. You did nothing wrong. You have no reason to be sorry. None of the blame lies on you." I look at the rest of them. "None of the blame lies on any of you. He's the one who hit me."

"Princess."

"Yes Tre."

"Did you see any warning signs before the attack? Not that day, but any other time."

"Looking back now, yes. Things would happen when I was with him... accidents he called them."

"Can you give us some examples please?"

"He almost shot me with an arrow one day. He threw a rock at my horses foot when I was on it. He pushed me down the stairs. He tripped me and made me fall in the river. Things like that."

Gunner asks, "Was there anything leading up to the attack that would have led you to believe that his anger was escalating or an attack would be coming?"

"No. He was happy that morning. Excited even. He was asking me about Tre." I smile at Tre. "He said he wanted to go fishing with you."

Tre smiles back at me. "What are you not telling us princess? I can tell you're holding something back."

"Clay is the one who was attacking things when we were younger. The bear. I don't remember what else. I told him he had to stop because he was scaring everyone."

Dipak looks at me weird. I shrug my shoulders, "The bunny. But I don't know it for sure. He never said it was him."

My dad stares at Dipak. "The bunny?"

Dipak rubs his eyes. "Sir that was so long ago. I'm surprised she remembers it. What made you think it was him?" He puts his hands on mine.

"It was after the whole pet thing. He was complaining the pet was to strong for him. He said he went down and watched someone with them so he knows what you do to them." I pull my hands back. "He wanted to try. Daddy told him the pet had to be put down. He was vague and it was confusing. But not long after that, the girl was found."

Dad crosses his arms. "We went after the werewolf for that."

Dipak's still on his knees in front of me and now he won't look at me.

"There's more. Clay always used to visit a cave. I went there after the bunny and I found a girls shirt. I never told anyone. I never went back. I don't know whose it really was or why it was there."

Dipak finally looks at me. "Does he still go to the cave? Or when was the last time you knew of him to visit it?"

"As far as I know he stopped going to the caves long ago."

After a couple minutes daddy asks, "Does anyone have any other questions for the princess?"

They all shake their heads.

"Princess do you have any questions for anyone here?"

I think about it for a second. "Yes. Can we have another ball, daddy? We haven't had one in so long. I really like the music."

"We'll discuss it for you my princess."

I smile at him.

"Tre take her back. We will be moved to Dipaks office when you get back."

Dipak moves from in front of me as Tre offers me his hand. "Let's get you back."